by Kristen Ku
BURRELL BOOM, BELIZE DISTRICT, Mon. May 8, 2023
Residents of Burrell Boom Village learned on Monday morning that their local Heritage Bank ATM machine had been stolen by robbers.
One upset resident of the village stated in a Facebook post: “HELLO MY PEOPLE OF BURRELL BOOM VILLAGE. I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THE HERITAGE BANK ATM MACHINE IS NOT IN SERVICE BECAUSE THE THIEVES STOLE THE WHOLE ATM MACHINE EARLY THIS MORNING.”
The Police Department has since opened an investigation into the robbery.
ACP Hilberto Romero told local reporters that sometime late last night, the robbers gained access to the ATM room by forcing the door open, and he noted that surveillance cameras may have captured footage of the break-in, so those recordings are being reviewed. It was also allegedly reported that displaced wires and a DVR appeared to have been tampered with.
The total amount of cash that the stolen ATM machine contained is yet unknown. Police also do not know how many robbers were involved in the heist.
Interestingly, just a few months ago, in December 2022, in the district of Corozal, San Roman Village, a Belize Bank ATM had been stolen from the Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico.
Four robbers reportedly held 2 watchmen of the institution at gunpoint before escaping with reportedly over $10,000.